The Praetor of Oz
by Daniel Fielder
Summary: A young Ethiopian girl named Nyota wishes for adventure, ending up getting more than she bargained for when she ends up in another world, trying to get home to her aunt while the Borg drone, Seven of Nine is after her for accidentally killing her mentor.
1. Over the Rainbow

The one movie everyone has seen and loved! With Star Trek characters.  
Disclaimer: The characters of Star Trek belong to JJ Abrams, Robert Orci, Gene Roddenberry, and Paramount while the Wizard of Oz belongs to MGM, Warner Brothers, Disney, and L. Frank Baum. I own nothing.

* * *

**The Wizard of Oz**  
Chapter 1: Over the Rainbow

Nyota Uhura was running through the dry colorless fields of Ethiopia with her dog, Porthos. She had always been a fast runner. When she was younger, she and her old friend, Dr. Noonian Soong had played tag before he began to get needed on the farm. Today though, she wasn't running for fun. She was running for fear.  
At the border of the Uhura family's farm, she stopped and looked at Porthos. The brown and white puppy blended in ridiculously with the rest of the fields it seemed, but he was always so energetic, almost in defiance of the mundane life the Uhuras lived.  
"She isn't coming yet, Porthos." Nyota gasped, letting herself sit down. "Did she hurt you?"  
Porthos shook his head vigorously.  
"Good, but she tried to though, didn't she?" Uhura asked. "Come on. We'll go tell Uncle Raheem and Aunt Kiara. Come on, Porthos."  
Nyota and Porthos rushed to the farm where several chicks were chirping.  
"Aunt Kiara?" Nyota asked as she went to Kiara, her red hair and blue eyes having dulled with the rest of the colors in town. She was still a very pretty woman though age showed on her face since, as she said, she earned every wrinkle she got.  
"Aunt Kiara?" Nyota asked again, trying to get her attention. "Aunt Kiara, just listen to what Annika Hansen did to Porthos-"  
"Nyota, please." Kiara said in her ever patient way. "I'm trying to count."  
"Oh but Aunt Kiara-" Nyota began when Raheem interrupted her. Like Kiara, he had "earned every wrinkle", but his black hair and brown eyes seemed to belong in this town's setting, which made sense as the Farm had been in the family for generations according to him.  
"Look, don't bother us now, kiddo." Raheem said just as patiently as Kiara. "This incubator's gone bad, and we're likely to lose a lot of our chicks."  
"Oh, those poor little things." Nyota remarked sadly. Then she remembered why she had been in such a rush. "Oh, but Aunt Kiara, Annika Hansen hit Porthos right over the back of the head with a rake just because she said he gets in her garden and chases her nasty old cat every day."  
"Nyota-" Kiara tried to say, but Nyota just went right on, caught up in the excitement.  
"Oh, but he doesn't do it every day." Nyota insists. "Only once or twice a week, and you know he'd never hurt that dumb old cat of Annika's even if he did catch it. And now she says she'll-"  
"Nyota!" Kiara said sharply. "Nyota, we're busy."  
Nyota looked at the chicks peeping and sighed.  
"Oh alright." Nyota said as she went off and came across the farm hands and family friends, Zachery Grayson, Noonian Soong, and Michael Rozhenko as they worked on a busted tractor with Noonian and Michael holding it up as Zachary worked on reattaching the apparently broken axle.  
"How's it coming?" Michael asked. He was an African American man raised in Russia who popped out the most with his Klingon inspired outfit. He was also the second oldest of her friends, being only a decade or so younger than Noonian.  
"Take it easy." Noonian said. He was a man with brown hair and blue eyes wearing the same white shirt and brown jacket he always seemed to wear as they set it down, resulting in a shout from Zachary, who had black hair and shining blue eyes. He and Nyota were the closest, having just recently graduated high school and had been discussing their joint interests in a career with Starfleet.  
"Ah!" Zachery snapped. "You got my finger!"  
"Then why didn't you move your finger out of the way?" Michael asked agitatedly.  
"Right on my finger." Zachery muttered.  
"At least it wasn't your head." Michael muttered.  
"Michael," Nyota asked. "What am I gonna do about Annika? Just because Porthos chases her nasty old cat every time I come home-"  
"Listen honey, I've got those hogs to get in." Michael said as he walked off as Zachery walked up to her.  
"Now look here, Nyota, you're not using your head about Annika." Zachery said. "It's like you haven't got any brains at all."  
"I have too got brains!" Nyota said agitatedly.  
"Then why don't you use them?" Zachery asked. "When you come home, don't go by Annika's place, then Porthos won't get into her garden, and you won't get into any trouble, see?"  
"Oh Zachery." Nyota sighed. "You just won't listen, that's all. Sometimes it feels like you're a Vulcan in the way you're so detached."  
"Well at least a Vulcan would remember that his head isn't made of straw, you know." Zachery sighed, not looking where he was aiming a hammer for a lose nail and hitting his thumb. "Oh!"  
Nyota then went to Michael as he had managed to get the hogs into the pen.  
"Get in there before I make a dime bank out of you." Michael said as he got the hogs in as Nyota leaned against the fence. "Listen Nyota, you don't have to worry about Annika. She's nothing to be afraid of. Just have a little courage, that's all."  
"I'm not afraid of her." Nyota insisted.  
"Then the next time she starts squawking, walk right up to her and spit in her eye." Michael said. "That's what I'd do."  
Nyota chuckled as a pig began chewing on a bracelet of hers and walked off with it still in its mouth, pulling Nyota into the pen as she called out for help, and Michael quickly got her out of there as the other two quickly went up to her.  
"Are you alright, Nyota?" Zachery asked.  
"Yes, I'm alright." Nyota said calming down at once. "I fell in and..."  
She then saw Michael still gasping as she began chuckling.  
"Why Michael, you're just as scared as I am."  
"What's the matter?" Zachery asked with a smile on his face. "Gonna let a little old pig make a coward out of you?"  
"Look at you, Michael." Noonian said with a chuckle. "You-"  
"Boys!" Kiara called out, coming up to them. "What on Earth are you all standing around here for?"  
"You see, Nyota was leaning near the pig pen when-" Noonian began.  
"It's no place for Nyota near the pig pen." Kiara said plainly. "There's a reason Michael helps us deal with them and not you and Zachery. I also saw you working on that contraption in the barn, Noonian, now playtime's over so go do your work."  
"Alright, Mrs. Uhura." Noonian sighed good naturedly. "But someday they're gonna erect a statue of me in this county-"  
"Well don't start posing for it now." Nyota said as Zachery chuckled. "Also, it's no good working on an empty stomach, have some crullers."  
"Thanks Mrs. Uhura." Zachery said as he and Noonian took one each and walked off to work on the fence.  
"And Michael, feed those pigs before they worry themselves into anemia." Kiara told Michael.  
"Right, Ma'am." Michael said with a sigh as Nyota took the opportunity to talk to Kiara.  
"Aunt Kiara, really, you know what Annika said she was going to do to Porthos? She said she was going to-"  
"Now Nyota, I'm sure you're worrying yourself over nothing." Kiara said kindly. "Now you just help us out today and find yourself a place where you won't get into any trouble."  
Nyota sighed and went to an apple tree as she sighed as Porthos joined her, looking around the dull surroundings. To Nyota, the whole town wouldn't look any different if it was all one big shade of gray. The only thing that ever really popped around her, especially these days, was an occasional rainbow.  
"Someplace where there isn't any trouble." Nyota repeated. "You think there really is such a place, Porthos? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or a train. Someplace far, far away, beyond the moon. Beyond the rain."  
_Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high,  
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.  
Somewhere over the rainbow, Skies are blue,  
And the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true  
Someday I'll wish upon a star  
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.  
Where troubles melt like lemon drops.  
Way above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me.  
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly.  
Birds fly over the rainbow, why then, oh why can't I?  
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly.  
Birds fly over the rainbow, why then, oh why can't I?  
_Nyota heard a bird singing as she saw it fly off into the horizon and out of sight, to a more colorful place, a better place than Ethiopia.  
_If happy little blue birds fly beyond the rainbow,  
Why, oh why can't I?  
_Nyota sighed and scratched behind Porthos' ear as he panted happily. No matter where she was, she still had Porthos, the one on the whole farm that never left her side.

* * *

I love the Wizard of Oz!


	2. Rushing Off

Chapter 2: Rushing Off

Annika Hansen was driving up to the Uhura Farm in her convertible, extremely agitated. Bad enough that Nyota Uhura's stupid dog kept ruining her garden and chasing her cat, but now he'd bitten her leg. She arrived at the driveway and got out as Uhura's uncle Raheem was there.  
"Mr. Uhura." Annika said to get his attention.  
"Miss Hansen." Raheem replied.  
"I want to see you and your wife right away about Nyota Uhura." Annika said in a businesslike way.  
"Nyota?" Raheem asked. "What has she done?"  
"What has she done?" Annika asked. "I'm all but lame for the bite on my leg."  
"She bit you?" Raheem asked disbelievingly.  
"No." Annika said. "Her dog."  
"Oh, she bit her dog, eh?" Raheem asked with a smirk.  
"No." Annika huffed.

In the farm, Annika was talking to Raheem and Kiara.  
"That dog is a menace to the community." Annika said, stating her case. "I'm personally taking him to the authorities to make sure he's destroyed."  
"Destroyed?" Nyota asked in shock. "Porthos? Oh, you can't. You mustn't!"  
Nyota went pleadingly to her aunt and uncle.  
"Aunt Kiara, Uncle Raheem, you won't let her, will you?" Nyota said, confident of the answer.  
"Of course we won't." Raheem said. "Will we, Kiara?"  
Nyota then rushed to Kiara.  
"Please Aunt Kiara!" Nyota begged. "Porthos didn't mean to. He didn't know he was doing anything wrong. I'm the one who ought to be punished. I let him go into her garden. You can send me to bed without any supper-"  
"If you don't hand over that dog, I'll just sue and take your whole farm!" Annika snapped. "There's a law protecting people against dogs that bite."  
"If Nyota keeps him tied up, he's really gentle." Kiara said in the poor puppy's defense. "With gentle people that is."  
"Well that's for the authorities to decide." Annika said as she pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Kiara. "Here's the order allowing me to take him, unless you want to go against the law."  
Kiara overlooked the paper and sighed sadly over the air tight order.  
"Well, we can't go against the law, Nyota." Kiara said with a sad sigh. "I'm afraid poor Porthos will have to go."  
"Now you're seeing reason, Mrs. Uhura." Annika said as she pulled out a pet carrier. "Here's what I'm taking the mutt in so that he can't attack me again."  
"No, no!" Nyota said, clutching Porthos like he was her child. "I won't let you take him! You go away, or I'll bite you myself!"  
"Nyota!" Kiara said sternly, snapping Nyota to her senses but still refusing to give up Porthos.  
"You're not a human being! You're just a robot made out of flesh!" Nyota went on before turning back to her aunt and uncle. "Uncle Raheem, Aunt Kiara, don't let her take Porthos, please! Stop her!"  
Unfortunately, there was nothing the Uhuras could do as Nyota was forced to let Porthos go as Raheem picked him up.  
"Put him into the carrier, Raheem." Kiara sighed.  
Raheem, reluctantly, put Porthos into the carrier as Annika closed the metal door and turned the small lock.  
Nyota could only sob at the sight before rushing to her room. At that point, Kiara had enough of this. She walked right up to Annika.  
"Annika Hansen!" Kiara said angrily. "Just because your family owns half of this county doesn't mean you own the people in it! Ever since you moved here, I've been dying to tell you what I think of you, and now... Well being a Christian woman, I can't say it!"  
Kiara walked off with Raheem.

Annika drove off as Porthos looked at the lock. What no one but the Uhuras knew was that Porthos was actually a very intelligent dog, and he used his teeth to turn the lock of the carrier, having seen Annika turn it to lock him in. With the carrier opened, Porthos climbs to the edge of the car and jumped out, landing on his feet and rushing all the way back to the Farm. Porthos also heard Nyota's cries and hopped through her opened window and licking her face as Nyota turned, and her eyes snapped to him as she smiled and hugged Porthos, who licked her.  
"Porthos, darling!" Nyota said exuberantly. "Oh, you're back! You came back! I'm so glad!"  
Porthos panted happily before he noticed Nyota's face fall.  
"She'll be coming back for you in a minute." Nyota said thoughtfully as she grabbed a picnic basket she used for travel. She wasn't about to lose Porthos twice! "We've gotta get away. We've gotta run away."  
With that, Nyota and Porthos rushed off quickly and quietly.

On the road, an older bald man with brown eyes named Jean-Luc Picard was cooking some hot dogs as he rested. He made his living as a traveling magician, having a banner that said, more for theatricality than actual reason that he traveled to the crowned heads of Europe. Jean-Luc was humming to himself when a black haired girl with brown eyes arrived with a beagle puppy.  
"Well hello there." Jean-Luc said. "House guests, huh? And who might you be?"  
"Oh no, no, no." Jean-Luc said quickly. "Now don't tell me. You're... You're uh... You're traveling in disguise. No wait, that's not right. Er... Uh... You're going on a visit. No wait, I'm wrong. Um..."  
Jean-Luc glanced at the basket in the girl's arm and saw that while there was a moderate supply of food in there, there was no blanket or the like for a picnic, so he decided to take one more stab at the girl's intentions as well as seeing a little name tag on the edge of the basket that read Nyota Uhura.  
"You're... Running away." Jean-Luc finished up.  
"How did you guess?" Nyota asked.  
"Professor Picard never guesses." Jean-Luc said with a chuckle. "He knows. Now why are you running away? No, no, no, don't tell me. They don't understand you at home. They don't appreciate you. You wanna see other lands. Big cities, big mountains, big oceans."  
"Why it's just like you could read what was inside of me." Uhura said gaping.  
Just then, Nyota's dog began eating one of the hot dogs.  
"Oh, Porthos, that's not polite." Nyota gently scolded the puppy. "We haven't been asked yet."  
"Oh, he's perfectly welcomed." Jean-Luc said with a chuckle. "That's one dog to another, huh?"  
"Now let's see." Jean-Luc wondered. "Where were we? Um..."  
"Please Professor Picard, why can't we go with you and see all the crowned heads of Europe?" Nyota asked.  
"You know any?" Jean-Luc asked before he remembered his banner. "Oh, you mean that thing. Well I uh... Never do anything without consulting my crystal first. Just come inside dear. We'll uh... I'll show you."  
Jean-Luc went to a tent he pitched for all his stops as it was filled with various tapestries from all over, giving the place a mystical feel, and on a table was a large crystal ball.  
"That's right." Jean-Luc said. "Here. Just sit right down, here. That's it. This is the same genuine magic crystal used by the priests of Isis and Osiris in the days of the pharaohs in Egypt! In which, Cleopatra first saw the approach of Julius Ceaser, Mark Anthony, and so on. Now, you better close your eyes dear, for a moment, to be better in tune with the infinite."  
Nyota did so as Jean-Luc quickly went through the girl's belongings and found a picture of herself with a red haired woman and a black haired man all standing in front of a decent sized farm house with a picket fence before quickly setting them back, and getting ready to use his skills to set the girl on the right track.  
"We can't do these things without reaching out into the infinite." Jean-Luc said as he put everything back the way it was and sat opposite Nyota. "Alright, you can open them. You can open them. We'll gaze into the crystal."  
Jean-Luc looked at the crystal and quickly recalled that photo Nyota had.  
"What's this I see?" Jean-Luc asked dramatically. "A house with a picket fence. With a red barn, cattle, and the like."  
"That's our farm." Nyota said as her eyes widened.  
"There's a woman." Jean-Luc went on. "She has red hair and is dressed in a blue denim jacket and black pants. Her face is careworn"  
"That's my Aunt Kiara." Nyota remarked.  
"Yes, Kiara Uhura, I presume." Jean-Luc said.  
"That's right." Nyota said, obviously assuming he saw her name on the basket. "What's she doing?"  
"Well uh..." Jean-Luc said, getting ready to give the performance of his life. "I can't quite see. Why she's crying. Someone has hurt her. Someone has just about broken her heart."  
"Me?" Nyota said a look of worry and guilt in her eyes.  
"Well it's someone she loves very much." Jean-Luc explained. "Someone she's been very kind to. Someone she's taken care of in sickness."  
"I had the measles once." Nyota remarked sadly, but she stayed right by me every minute. "What's she doing now?"  
"Well she's..." Jean-Luc said, deciding to drive the young girl back to the home she belonged to as quickly as possible. "What's this?! She's... She's putting her hand on her heart. She's dropping down on the bed. That's all. The crystal's gone dark."  
"Oh, you don't really suppose she's sick, do you?!" Nyota asked urgently, which was just the response Jean-Luc was hoping for. "Oh! Oh I've gotta go home right away!"  
"What's this?" Jean-Luc asked. "I thought you wanted to go with me?"  
"Oh no, no!" Nyota went on. "I have to get to her right away! Come on, Porthos! Come on!"  
Nyota rushed off with Porthos as the wind began picking up, which for anyone who spent a good deal of time in the area, meant that a storm was coming.  
"Bye Professor Picard, and thanks a lot!" Nyota called back as she went on.  
"I better find a place to head to myself." Jean-Luc said to himself as the wind continued to pick up. "There's a storm coming up."  
He then looked where Nyota was as he put his hand to the door of his car.  
"Poor girl, I hope she gets home alright." Jean-Luc remarked as he pulled the tent into the back seat haphazardly and drove off for a nearby town.

* * *

Uh-oh. We all know what this means.


	3. The Cyclone

Chapter 3: The Cyclone

The area the Uhura farmers live in was no stranger to tornadoes. However, the one that was brewing up near the Uhura Farm was one of the worst ones that were ever seen in a good ten years.  
"Get the horses somewhere safe!" Raheem called out to Noonian as he made sure to keep them safe when he looked around. "Where's Zachery? Zachery?! ZACHERY!"  
Zachery managed to get to the others as they quickly went to the storm cellar.  
"It's a twister!" Zachery called out. "A twister!"  
"I know Zachery, now get down here!" Noonian said as he and Michael opened up the storm cellar.  
As all this was going on, Kiara searched frantically for Nyota. When the storm had come up, she looked around the area, but she was nowhere to be found!  
"Nyota?!" Kiara called out. "Nyota?!"  
"Come on, everybody!" Kiara heard Raheem call out. "Into the storm cellar!"  
She went to the boys as Noonian, Zachery, and Michael had gotten into the storm cellar as Kiara talked to Raheem, half hysterical!  
"Raheem, I can't find Nyota!" Kiara called out. "She's somewhere out in the storm!"  
"I'm sorry, but we can't look for her now!" Raheem insisted. "We've gotta get in the cellar!"  
"NYOTA!" Kiara called out one last time before letting herself be taken into the cellar by Raheem, who quickly closed the door, dulling any and all sounds outside except the roar of the tornado.

Nyota rushed back home as fast as she could. She couldn't believe how selfish and stupid she was to just run away. She wasn't even mad at Aunt Kiara, and by now she must've found out she was gone, and if Professor Picard was right, she might be having a heart attack any minute!  
Nyota and Porthos arrived home to find a huge tornado at the farm! She rushed around the farm area to see if anyone was still outside.  
"Aunt Kiara!" Nyota called repeatedly out.  
Finding no one, she figured everyone had made it to the storm cellar and tried to open it, but it was locked shut already.  
"Aunt Kiara!" Nyota called out, trying to fight the roar of the wind! "Uncle Raheem!"  
It was no good. Her voice just couldn't carry through the door with the cyclone roaring around. With no other options, she rushed into the house with Porthos.  
"I hope Aunt Kiara's okay." Nyota said to Porthos as they went to their room on the way to a staircase without windows when a window frame came loose and hit Nyota on the head, knocking her out cold as she fell onto the bed.

Much later, Nyota never figured out how long, she woke up and looked out the space where the window was and saw that the house was in the eye of the storm and was actually being carried up by cyclone as she could only stare.  
And what things to stare at. A cow zoomed past mooing, only slightly annoyed, an old woman flew past in a rocking chair and waved at her, and two men rowed by on a row boat, waving as well as Nyota could only meekly wave back as Porthos came up.  
"We must be up inside the cyclone!" Nyota told Porthos. "Either that, or I've lost my mind."  
Porthos barked angrily as someone passed who looked a lot like...  
"Why..." Nyota said. "It's Annika."  
But she was wrong as the figure flew by closer, she was dressed in black metal, had no hair but four wires sticking out of the back of her head, and pale white skin and her face didn't look like Annika's at all, much older, about Aunt Kiara's age. She laughed evilly and flew down as the house ended up falling as well as the tornado dissipated.  
Nyota could only scream in terror as the house landed with a huge thud!  
Nyota gasped as the house had miraculously landed right side up. Frazzled, she picked Porthos up along with the basket she had brought home with her and walked out the door.  
And that is how the adventure began.

* * *

Fun Fact: They shot the house landing on the witch by dropping a toy house from the tip of the camera and reversing the footage.


	4. New Vulcan

Chapter 4: New Vulcan

Nyota opened the door and emerged in a place with humble buildings and filled with color, almost like a movie musical. In the center of the town was a spiral of red and yellow that led out of the small village. She looked at the farm house, slightly lopsided where it landed, but otherwise surprisingly intact, and even that seemed more colorful here, or it simply could have been the result of contrasting with the greens, yellows, blues, and reds of the place.  
"Porthos, I have a feeling we're not in Africa anymore." Nyota said as she looked around as a thought occurred to her as she looked at the colorful little village. "We must be over the rainbow!"  
Just then, a figure flew to them, seeming to come out of the sun itself. She flew gracefully and landed as she looked around. At first, Nyota thought she'd stumbled into a secret Starfleet base or something as the red haired woman had a blue medical shirt with black pants. However, there wasn't a Starfleet insignia on her chest, and the woman clearly held a strong presence and seemed even older than Aunt Kiara and Uncle Raheem, though she looked about the same age them.  
"Now I know I'm not in Africa." Nyota said gaping as Porthos growled nervously.  
"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" The woman asked.  
"Who me?" Nyota asked. "I'm not a witch at all. I'm Nyota Uhura from the United States of Africa."  
"Oh." The woman said as she looked down at Porthos. "Well is that the witch?"  
"Porthos?" Nyota asked. "Porthos' my dog."  
"Well I'm a little muddled." The woman said with a chuckle. "The munchkins called me because a new witch has just dropped a house on the Borg Queen, and there's the house, and here you are, and there's all that's left of the Borg Queen."  
The woman pointed to the bottom of the house, and to her horror, Nyota saw two legs in black metallic boots and dazzling ruby slippers on those sticking out from under the house. Obviously, the house had landed on the woman Nyota mistook for Annika Hansen.  
"And so what the Vulcans want to know is if you're a good witch, or a bad witch." The woman finished.  
"But I've already told you." Nyota insisted. "I'm not a witch at all. Witches are old and ugly."  
Suddenly, Nyota heard giggling all around her.  
"What was that?" Nyota asked.  
"The Vulcans." The woman said with a smile. "They're laughing because I am a witch. I'm Beverly Crusher, the Witch of the North."  
"You are?!" Nyota said, alarmed at what she had just said. True she could get mean if she got stressed, but she tried to avoid anything horribly racist, thanks to having been raised by her aunt and uncle since she was very small.  
"Oh, I beg your pardon!" Nyota went on. "I've just never seen a beautiful witch before."  
"Only bad witches are ugly." Beverly explained.  
"But my aunt and uncle told me when I was a kid that the witches had all died out in the Middle Ages or something like that."  
"Is Africa a civilized place?" Diana asked.  
"A part of the United Federation of Planets." Nyota confirmed. "One of the most civilized places in the Milky Way, despite its problems."  
"Well that explains it." Beverly explained. "Civilized countries lost the need of witches and magic thanks to electricity and the like, however Oz, the land you're in right now, is cut off from the rest of the world by the Deadly Desert. So much as touch the sands of it, and you turn into sand. The only technology is what the Borg Queen used to augment her power."  
"Holy cow!" Nyota gasped. "So if witches are needed here, why are the Vulcans so happy about it?"  
"The Vulcans are happy because you have freed them from the Borg Queen." Beverly began. "She ruled over them and made them slaves."  
"Oh." Nyota said. "But if you please, what are Vulcans doing here?"  
Just then, the Vulcans laughed again.  
"The Vulcan people landed here after a huge ion storm with several other races years ago." Beverly explained. "They called this area New Vulcan, and you are their national hero, my dear."  
Beverly then addressed the area around them.  
"It's alright. You may all come out and thank her."  
_Come out, come out,  
Wherever you are,  
And meet the young lady  
Who fell from a star.  
She fell from the sky,  
She fell very far,  
And Africa she says is the name of the star.  
_"_Africa she says is the name of the star._" The Vulcans repeated as they arrived. They were clearly Vulcans, but they seemed a bit more relaxed in their emotions, allowing slight signs of them, probably from the level created by an oppressive force suddenly disappearing.  
_She brings you good news,  
Or haven't you heard?  
When she fell out of Africa,  
A miracle occurred.  
_Feeling self conscious, Nyota tried to explain the incident to them.  
_It really was no miracle.  
What happened was just this.  
The wind began to switch.  
The house took pitch,  
And suddenly the hinges  
Started to unhitch.  
Just then, the witch,  
To satisfy an itch,  
Went flying on her broomstick  
Thumbing for a hitch.  
_"_And oh, what happened then was rich._" An old Vulcan said.  
_The house began to pitch.  
The kitchen took a slitch.  
It landed on the Wicked Witch,  
In the middle of a ditch,  
Which was not a healthy thing  
To wish upon the Wicked Witch.  
The house began to pitch.  
The kitchen took a slitch.  
It landed on the Wicked Witch,  
In the middle of a ditch,  
Which was not a healthy thing  
To wish upon the Wicked Witch,  
Who began to twitch  
And was reduced,  
To just a stitch,  
Of what was once  
The Wicked Witch.  
_Just then, several Vulcans arrived and handed Nyota flowers.  
_We thank you very sweetly  
For doing it so neatly.  
You killed her so completely,  
That we thank you very sweetly.  
_"Let the joyous news be spread!" Beverly called out. "The Wicked Old Witch at last is dead!"  
The whole town burst into cheers and began celebrating.  
_Ding-Dong! The Witch is dead!  
Which old witch?  
The Wicked Witch!  
Ding-Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead!  
Wake up your sleepy heads!  
Rub your eyes! Get out of bed!  
Wake up! The Wicked Witch is dead!  
She's gone where the goblins go below!  
So go blow on your horns!  
Let's all get up and sing!  
And ring the bells out!  
Ding-Dong! The merry-o!  
Sing it high! Sing it low!  
Let them know,  
The Wicked Witch is dead!  
_Just then, two figures walked up to Nyota. One was dressed very fine, and the other was dressed as some kind of priest or cleric.  
"_As mayor of the Vulcan City,_" the man in the suit, the mayor, said. "_In the county of the land of Oz, I welcome you most gleefully._"  
"_But we've got to verify it legally!_" The cleric insisted. "_To see..._"  
"_To see..._" The mayor agreed.  
"_If she..._"  
"_If she..._"  
"_Is morally, ethically, spiritually, physically, positively, absolutely, undeniably, and reliably dead._"  
Just then one of the taller Vulcans, dressed all in black arrived, obviously the undertaker, as he pulled out a death certificate.  
_As Coroner, I must affirm.  
I thoroughly examined her.  
And she's not only nearly dead.  
She's really most sincerely dead.  
_"Then this is a day of independence for all the Vulcans, and their descendants!" The mayor called out.  
"If any." The cleric added.  
"Yes, let the joyous news be spread!" The mayor called out. "The Wicked Old Witch at last is dead!"  
_Ding-Dong! The Witch is dead!  
Which old witch?  
The Wicked Witch!  
Ding-Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead!  
Wake up your sleepy heads!  
Rub your eyes! Get out of bed!  
Wake up! The Wicked Witch is dead!  
She's gone where the goblins go below!  
So go blow on your horns!  
Let's all get up and sing!  
And ring the bells out!  
Ding-Dong! The merry-o!  
Sing it high! Sing it low!  
Let them know,  
The Wicked Witch is dead!  
_As Nyota was getting into the celebration, three Vulcans dressed as ballerinas danced up to her.  
_We represent the Lullaby League.  
The Lullaby League.  
The Lullaby League.  
And in the name of the Lullaby League,  
We wish to welcome you to New Vulcan.  
_As the Lullaby League danced off, three Vulcan boys, about the same age as her arrived with the one in the middle holding a lollipop.  
_We represent the Lollipop Guild.  
The Lollipop Guild.  
The Lollipop Guild.  
And in the name of the Lollipop Guild,  
We wish to welcome you to New Vulcan.  
_The Vulcan in the middle handed Nyota a lollipop as the Vulcans went around her, happily.  
_We welcome you to New Vulcan.  
Fa-la-la-la-la. La-la-la-la-la-la-la!  
_"_From now on you'll be history._" The mayor said.  
_You'll be hi...  
You'll be hi...  
You'll be history.  
And we will glorify your name!  
_"_You'll be a bust!_" The cleric added.  
_Be a bust...  
Be a bust...  
In the hall of fame!  
Fa-la-la-la-la. La-la-la-la-la-la-la!  
Fa-la-la-la-la. La-la-la-la-la-la-la...!  
_Just then, in a flash of smoke and fire, a woman appeared. She was dressed all in black metal, with a cybernetic eye and arm. She was bald, her normal eye was blue, with her skin being a very sickly green. Unlike the Borg Queen, her face was relatively normal, aside from her scowling appearance. At her sight, the Vulcans rushed off in fear.  
"I thought you said she was dead." Nyota said nervously.  
"That was her superior, the Borg Queen." Beverly explained. "This is another witch, Seven of Nine. She's worse than the other one was."  
"Who killed my queen?" Seven of Nine asked. "Who killed the Borg Queen?"  
She then glared at Nyota almost instinctively.  
"Was it you?"  
"No!" Nyota said quickly. "No! It was an accident! I didn't mean to kill anybody!"  
"Well my little pretty, I can cause accidents too." Seven of Nina said with an unreadable expression.  
"Aren't you forgetting the Ruby Slippers?" Beverly asked quickly.  
"Yes." Seven of Nine said as her eye widened in realization. "The slippers."  
She went to the outstretched legs of her dead leader when the slippers were gone, and the legs withered away.  
"They're gone!" The witch called out angrily. "The Ruby Slippers! What have you done with them?! Give them back to me, or I'll-"  
"It's too late." Beverly said calmly as she pointed down, and to Nyota's shock, she was wearing the slippers. "There they are, and there they'll stay."  
"Give me back my slippers." Seven of Nine said darkly. "I am the only one who knows how to use them. They are no use to you. Give them back to me. GIVE THEM BACK!"  
"Keep tight inside them." Beverly advised Nyota. "Their magic must be very powerful, or she wouldn't want them so badly."  
"You stay out of this, Beverly!" Seven of Nina barked as she conjured up a ball of fire. "Or I'll fix you as well!"  
"You have no power here!" Beverly said defiantly. "Begone before someone drops a house on you!"  
The witch looked up nervously before looking back at the two.  
"Very well." Seven of Nine said calmly. "I will bide my time. But as for you my fine lady, it is true I cannot deal with you now as I would like, but just try to stay away from me. Just try. I will get you my pretty, and your little dog too!"  
Seven of Nine then disappeared in another ball of fire as the Vulcans began coming back out.  
"It's alright." Beverly assured the Vulcans. "You can get up. She's gone. It's alright. She's gone. Get up."  
Beverly then sighed as she waved her hand in front of her face.  
"What a smell of sulfur." Beverly remarked before turning to Nyota. "I'm afraid you've made rather a bad enemy of Seven of Nine. The sooner you get out of Oz altogether, the safer you'll sleep, my dear."  
"I'd give anything to get out of Oz altogether, but which is the way back to Africa?" Nyota asked, thinking of the Deadly Desert and what Professor Picard said about Aunt Kiara. "I can't go the way I came."  
"No, that's true." Beverly remarked. "The only person who might know would be the great and powerful Wizard of Oz himself."  
All the Vulcans bowed in awe at the mention of that name.  
"Wizard of Oz?" Nyota asked. "Is he good, or is he wicked?"  
"Oh very good, but very mysterious." Beverly said knowingly. "He lives in the Emerald City. That's a long journey from here. Did you bring your broomstick with you?"  
"...No, I'm afraid I didn't." Nyota said with a sigh.  
"Well then, you'll have to walk." Beverly explained. "The Vulcans will see you safely to the border of New Vulcan, and remember, never let those Ruby Slippers off your feet for a moment, or you will be at the mercy of Seven of Nine."  
"But..." Nyota began, caught off-guard by Beverly's departure. "How do I start for Emerald City?"  
"It's always best to start at the beginning." Beverly explained. "All you do is follow the Yellow Brick Road."  
Nyota went to the edge of the spiral pattern where the yellow brick started.  
"But, what happens if I-?" Nyota began when Beverly cut her off.  
"Just follow the Yellow Brick Road."  
Diana then flew off and disappeared into the horizon.  
"My!" Nyota said in awe of her soaring off. "People come and go here so quickly."  
Nyota then sighed as the Vulcans chuckled at her remark.  
"Follow the Yellow Brick Road." Nyota said to herself. "Follow the Yellow Brick Road?"  
"Follow the Yellow Brick Road." The Mayor replied.  
"Follow the Yellow Brick Road." A Munchkin man said also.  
"Follow the Yellow Brick Road." A Munchkin woman repeated.  
"Follow the Yellow Brick Road." The cleric repeated also.  
_Follow the Yellow Brick Road.  
Follow the Yellow Brick Road!  
Follow, follow, follow,  
Follow the Yellow Brick Road!  
Follow the Yellow Brick  
Follow the Yellow Brick  
Follow the Yellow Brick Road!  
You're off to find the Wizard,  
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!  
You'll find he is the Wiz,  
The Wiz if ever the Wiz there was!  
If ever the Wonderful Wiz there was,  
There is because, because, because, because...  
Because of the wonderful things he does!  
You're off to find the Wizard,  
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!  
_The lively tune the Vulcans sung to see her off, seemed to fill Nyota with energy as she skipped along the road with Porthos, heading out of the village and down the Yellow Brick Road with Porthos, ready to get her way back home and get back to Aunt Kiara and Uncle Raheem.

* * *

Oh... This was a hard one to finish.


	5. If I Only Had a Brain

Chapter 5: If I Only Had a Brain

Nyota continued her journey with relative ease into a cornfield when she came to a fork in the road with a scarecrow in a blue shirt and made up to look like a Vulcan staked in the middle to protect the field from crows.  
"Follow the Yellow Brick Road." Nyota said as she looked around. "Follow the Yellow..."  
She looked at the two paths and sighed as no one had mentioned a fork in the road.  
"Now which way do we go?" Nyota asked with a sigh.  
"Pardon me," said a voice that came from apparently nowhere. "That way is a very nice way."  
Nyota looked around, but the only thing there was the scarecrow, with an arm pointing to the left.  
"Who said that?" Nyota asked quickly.  
Porthos, however, was barking at the scarecrow.  
"Don't be silly, Porthos." Nyota remarked. "Scarecrows don't talk."  
"It's pleasant down that way too." The voice said as Nyota looked up, and the scarecrow was pointing the other way.  
"That's funny." Nyota pondered. "Wasn't he pointing in the other direction?"  
"Of course people do go both ways." The voice said, most definitely coming from the scarecrow as he crossed his arms to point at both roads.  
Nyota could only stare in disbelief. Witches being real in this land was one thing, but she'd never heard of a talking scarecrow before.  
"Why, you did say something, didn't you?" Nyota asked.  
The scarecrow shook his head before nodding it and shaking it again.  
"Are you doing that on purpose, or can't you make up your mind?" Nyota asked.  
"That's just the trouble." The scarecrow said. "I can't make up my mind. I haven't got a brain. Only straw."  
"Well how can you talk if you don't have a brain?" Nyota asked.  
"I don't know." The scarecrow asked. "But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?"  
"Yes, I guess you're right." Nyota admitted. "Well, we haven't really met properly, have we?"  
"Why no." The scarecrow agreed.  
"How do you do?" Nyota asked.  
"How do you do." The scarecrow responded.  
"Very well, thank you." Nyota said with a smile.  
"Oh, I'm not feeling at all well." The scarecrow said. "You see it's very tedious being stuck up here all day long with a pole up your back."  
"Oh dear." Nyota said, realizing how uncomfortable it must be. "That must be terribly uncomfortable. Can't you get down?"  
"Down?" The scarecrow asked. "Well no. You see I'm... Well I don't really know how I'm held up here."  
"Oh, well here." Nyota said as she went to the back of the pole and looked for a rope or something tying the scarecrow to it.  
"Oh that's very kind of you." The scarecrow said with a smile. "Very kind."  
"Oh dear." Nyota said as she was having trouble herself. "I don't say what I can do here."  
"Of course I'm not bright about doing things." The scarecrow began. "But if you just bend a nail down in the back, maybe I'll slip off and-"  
"Oh yes!" Nyota remarked as she bent an outstretched nail down, and he fell down, and a chunk of straw fell out of his hoodie, which opened suddenly from a snag.  
"Whoops!" The scarecrow said with a chuckle. "There goes some of me again."  
"Oh, does it hurt you?" Nyota asked alarmed at part of a person coming out of him.  
"Oh no." The scarecrow assured her. "I just pick it up and put it back in again."  
"I'm Nyota." Nyota said.  
"I'm Spock." Spock replied. "Not an inventive name, I know, but I didn't have the brains to think of a better one. Oh, it's good to be free!"  
Spock did a summersault as he slipped and rolled down the hill onto the road.  
"Oh!" Nyota called out in alarm. "Oh!"  
"Did I scare you?" Spock asked eagerly.  
"Oh no." Nyota assured him. "I just thought you hurt yourself."  
"But I didn't scare you?" Spock asked.  
"No." Nyota said plainly. "Of course not."  
"I didn't think so." Spock said as a crow began chewing on his shoulder. "Scat! Shoo! Go away!"  
The crow just laughed and flew off.  
"You see?" Spock asked Nyota. "I can't even scare a crow. They come from miles around just to eat in my field and laugh in my face. Oh, I'm a failure because I haven't got a brain."  
"Well, what would you do with a brain if you had one?" Nyota asked.  
"Do?" Spock asked as he thought about it. "Why if I had a brain, I could..."  
_I could while away the hours.  
Confirming with the flowers.  
Consulting with the rain.  
In my head, I'd be scratching  
While my thoughts were busy hatching  
If I only had a brain.  
I'd unravel any riddle  
For any individual  
In trouble or in pain.  
_"With the thoughts you'd be thinking, you could be another Lincoln if you only had a brain." Nyota agreed with a smile.  
_Oh I could tell you why  
The ocean's near the shore.  
I could think of things I never thunk before,  
And then I'd sit and think some more.  
I would not be just a nothing.  
My head all full of stuffing.  
My heart all full of pain.  
I would dance and be merry!  
Life would be a dingy dairy  
If I only had a brain!  
_Spock hopped around, getting used to his new legs as he finished up next to Nyota.  
"Wonderful!" Nyota remarked. "Why if our scarecrows back in Africa could do that, the crows would be scared to pieces."  
"They would?" Spock asked with a smile before he got a look in his eyes. "Where's Africa?"  
"It's where I live." Nyota explained. "And I wanna get back there so badly, I'm going to ask the great Wizard of Oz to help me."  
"You're going to see a wizard?" Spock asked. "Do you think if I went with you, this wizard could give me some brains?"  
"I couldn't say." Nyota replied. "But even if he didn't, you'd be no worse off than you are now."  
"Yes, that's true." Spock said in a way one receives news that's neither good or bad.  
"But maybe you better not." Nyota said after she looked at her slippers, the Ruby Slippers Seven of Nine was after. "But maybe you better not. I've got a witch mad at me, and you might get into trouble."  
"Witch?" Spock scoffed. "I'm not afraid of a witch. I'm not afraid of anything."  
Spock then looked himself over and whispered in Kara's ear.  
"Except a lighted match."  
"I don't blame you for that." Nyota said truthfully.  
"But I'd face a whole box of them at the chance to get some brains!" Spock declared. "Look, I won't be any trouble because I don't eat a thing, and I won't try to manage things because I can't think. Won't you take me with you?"  
"Why of course I will." Nyota said with a heartfelt smile.  
"Hooray!" Spock cheered. "We're off to see a wizard!"  
"Well you're not starting off very well!" Nyota said as he hopped around.  
"Oh, I'll try!" Spock said. "Really, I will!"  
"To Oz?" Nyota said with a smile, offering her arm.  
"To Oz." Spock repeated, taking the arm as they danced down the left fork of the Yellow Brick Road.  
_We're off to find the Wizard,  
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!  
You'll find he is the Wiz,  
The Wiz if ever the Wiz there was!  
If ever the Wonderful Wiz there was,  
There is because, because, because, because...  
Because of the wonderful things he does!  
We're off to see the Wizard,  
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!  
_The new friends then headed off, with Nyota feeling an odd familiarity about Spock that she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried.

* * *

And Nyota's met the stand in for my favorite character.


	6. If I Only Had a Heart

Chapter 6: If I Only Had a Heart

The duo of Nyota and Spock went along the Yellow Brick Road, with Spock holding Porthos, as being still a puppy, it was harder for him to keep up with them for extended periods of time. Unknown to anyone there, a green skinned woman watched from the shadows before disappearing into the distance.  
As the walk went on, they came across a wild apple orchard as Nyota smiled.  
"Oh, apples!" Nyota said excitedly. She always enjoyed apples for a snack. "Oh look!"  
Nyota went to pick one as the tree branch suddenly grabbed her hand, took the apple and flung it down.  
"Ouch!" Nyota said as the branch let go, stinging her hand.  
"What do you think you're doing?" The tree asked.  
"We were walking a long way, and I was hungry, and-" Nyota began when she suddenly realized what she was doing. "Did you say something?"  
"She was hungry." The tree scoffed to the rest of the orchard who repeated what the tree had said. "Well, how would you like it if someone came along and picked something off of you?"  
"Oh dear." Nyota sighed. "I keep forgetting I'm not in Africa."  
"Come along, Nyota." Spock said dismissively. "You don't want any of those apples."  
"Are you eating my apples on what they ought to be?" The tree asked, seeming even angrier.  
"Oh no." Spock assured him. "It's just that she doesn't like little green worms."  
"Why you-!" The tree began as it grabbed Nyota, but Spock quickly pulled her away, but stopped her from running away.  
"Hush." Spock whispered to her. "Don't you wanna get some apples?"  
The trees then proceeded to fling various apples at them as the two quickly grabbed them.  
"Hooray!" Spock called out. "I guess that did it. Help yourself."  
The two went to collect the apples that rolled away as Nyota followed one apple to a silver statue. Nyota knocked on it, and it made a muffled bonging sound. It was made of tin. Nyota then looked up to see that it was a statue of a man.  
"Why it's a man." Nyota said to herself. "A mare made out of tin!"  
Spock arrived, having heard Kara, and looking over the statue with her. As they looked over the figure, they heard a muttering.  
"Did you say something?" Nyota asked as the tin man muttered again. "He said oil can."  
"Oil can what?" Spock asked.  
"Oh!" Nyota said as she looked down and grabbed an oil can. "Here it is. Where do you wanna be oiled first?"  
The tin man muttered as Spock listened hard.  
"He said his mouth." Spock said as he oiled the mouth as the tin man moved his jaw and finally opened it.  
"My goodness!" The tin man gasped happily. "I can talk again! Oh, oil my arms please. Oil my elbows."  
Spock did as he was told as the tin man began to stiffly move his arms around as his joints squeaked badly when his left arm, which held an ax, was finally lose enough to come fully down, he sighed.  
"Oh, does that hurt?" Nyota asked.  
"No." The tin man said. "It feels wonderful. I have been holding that ax up for ages."  
"Goodness!" Nyota remarked as Spock oiled the tin man's legs. "How did you ever get like this?"  
"Well," The tin man began. "I was born as a normal person named Data. I got a job chopping trees for lumber. For some malicious reason I will never know, the Borg Queen enchanted my ax so that it cut off my leg, but my father was a great tins man, so he made me a new leg of tin, but this did not sit well with the witch at all, so she had the ax chop off more and more of me until my father eventually had to remake me into tin, keeping everything attached and moveable by means of joints. Then, about a year ago, I was chopping down that tree when suddenly it began to rain, and right in the middle of a chop, I rusted solid, and I have been that way ever since."  
Data then began moving his legs, stumbling a little from having them much loser and movable than they'd been from the past year as Spock and Nyota helped steady him.  
"Well, you're perfect now." Nyota said cheerily.  
"Perfect?" Data asked incredulously. "Bang on my chest if you think I'm perfect. Go ahead, bang on it!"  
Nyota banged on the chest as they heard the echo for a good minute or so.  
"Beautiful!" Spock remarked. "What an echo!"  
"It is empty." Data remarked. "My father forgot to give me a heart."  
"No heart?" Nyota and Spock asked.  
"No heart." Data confirmed. "All hollow."  
_When a man's an empty kettle,  
He should be on his meddle,  
And yet I'm torn apart.  
Just because I'm presuming  
That I could be kind of human  
If I only had a heart.  
I'd be tender, I'd be gentle  
And awfully sentimental  
Regarding love and heart.  
I'd be friends with the sparrows  
And the boy who shoots the arrows  
If I only had a heart.  
Picture me a balcony.  
A lover's voice sings low.  
"Where for art thou, Romeo?"  
I hear a beat.  
How sweet.  
Just to register emotion.  
Jealousy, devotion,  
And really feel the part.  
I would stay young and chipper,  
And I'd lock it with a zipper  
If I only had a heart.  
_Data then began moving around to loosen up his legs, with occasional doses of oil here and there from the duo as Spock and Nyota began whispering to each other about an idea they both got. Just then, Data lost his balance as the two caught him.  
"Are you alright?" Nyota asked.  
"I am afraid I am still a little rusty yet." Data confirmed.  
"Oh dear." Nyota remarked, imagining that standing outside for a year probably didn't help his original condition. "That was wonderful. You know, we were just wondering why you couldn't come with us to ask the Wizard of Oz for a heart."  
"Well suppose the Wizard did not give me one when we got there?" Data asked.  
"Oh but he will!" Nyota said optimistically. "He must! We've come such a long way already."  
Just then, horribly familiar laughter occurred, and they turned to a shed that Nyota presumed was where Data lived as Seven of Nine was there.  
"You call that long?" The witch asked with a scoff. "Why you've only just begun. Helping the little lady along are you my fine gentlemen? Well stay away from her."  
The with then turned to Spock.  
"Or I'll stuff a mattress with you." The witch remarked before turning to Data. "And you, I'll use you for a beehive! Here Scarecrow, you wanna play ball?"  
The witch then set out a fireball as she laughed and disappeared while Spock quickly backed away while Data stamped it out. As the two sighed, they looked at a trembling Nyota.  
"I'm not afraid of her! I'll see you get safely to the Wizard now whether I get a brain or not!" Spock said before addressing the area the witch was at. "Stuck a mattress with me. Pah."  
"I will see you to the Wizard whether I got a heart or not." Data agreed as he also addressed the witch's threat. "Beehive. Bah. Let her try and make a beehive out of me!"  
Data then pointed to himself, knocking his finger into his head as it made a clink sound as he looked at it.  
"Oh, you're the best friends anybody ever had." Nyota said with a smile before she began wondering. "And it's funny, but I feel as if I've known you all the time, but I couldn't have, could I?"  
"I don't see how." Spock pointed out. "You weren't around when I was stuffed and sown together, were you?"  
"And I was standing over there rusting for the longest time." Data agreed.  
"Still, I wish I could remember, but I guess it doesn't matter anyway." Nyota said as she and her friends began laughing. "We know each other now, don't we?"  
"That's right, we do." The two agreed as Data and Spock each took one the Nyota's arms.  
"To Oz?" Spock asked.  
"To Oz." Data agreed.  
_We're off to see the Wizard,  
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!  
You'll find he is the Wiz,  
The Wiz if ever the Wiz there was!  
If ever the Wonderful Wiz there was,  
There is because, because, because, because...  
Because of the wonderful things he does!  
We're off to see the Wizard,  
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!  
_The group then continued down the Yellow Brick Road, towards a forest, ready for anything.

* * *

Oh, this is going to be interesting when they get to that forest.


	7. If I Only Had a Nerve

Chapter 7: If I Only Had the Nerve

The three people and Porthos walked through the forest as it had gotten dark and claustrophobic with trees on all sides and no way to tell if the trees were alive or not like those apple trees they'd run into just before meeting Data.  
"I don't like this forest." Nyota told her friends. "It's dark and creepy."  
"Of course I don't know, but I think it'll get darker before it gets lighter." Spock said.  
"Do you..." Nyota began nervously. "Do you suppose we'll run into any wild animals?"  
"Mm..." Data said relatively relaxed, safe thanks to his metal body. "We might."  
"Animals that..." Spock began, showing a hint of panic. "That eat straw?!"  
"Some, but mostly lions and tigers and bears." Data answered.  
"Lions?!" Nyota asked.  
"And tigers?" Spock added.  
"And bears." Data finished.  
"Lions and tigers and bears." Nyota began. "Oh my."  
"Lions and tigers and bears." The group repeated. "Oh my."  
"Lions and tigers and bears!" They said as they began trotting forward. "Oh my!"  
"Lions and tigers and bears!" They said as they broke into a slight run. "Oh my!"  
"Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!" They were about to run fully when they happened upon a Klingon that roared at them, knocking the three off their feet. He had brown eyes and hair with a classic Klingon beard. He looked around them, all trembling nervously.  
"Put them up." The Klingon said. "Put them up! Which one of you first? I'll fight both of you together, if you want. I'll fight you with one hand tied behind my back! I'll fight you with my eyes closed!"  
The Klingon then noticed the ax Data was still holding.  
"Oh, pull an ax on me, eh?" The Klingon said before turning to Spock. "Sneaking up on me, eh?"  
"Hear, hear." Data said. "Go away and leave us alone."  
"Oh scared, huh?" The Klingon asked. "Afraid, huh? How long do you stay fresh in that can of yours?"  
He then chuckled.  
"Come on. Get up and fight you shivering junkyard!" The green man said before turning to Spock. "Put your hands up you lopsided bag of hay!"  
"Now that's getting personal, pal!" Spock said, trying to sound brave but failing badly.  
"Yes, get up and teach him a lesson." Data insisted.  
"What's wrong with you teaching him?!" Spock argued.  
"Well I hardly know him." Data said as Porthos began barking at the Klingon.  
"I'll get you anyway, Small One." The Klingon said as he went after Porthos as he rushed off when Nyota ran up and slapped the Klingon as he began whimpering.  
"Shame on you!" Nyota barked.  
"What did you do that for?" The Klingon said as he began to weep. "I didn't bite him!"  
"No, but you tried to!" Nyota argued. "Why it's bad enough picking on a straw man, but when you go along picking on poor little dogs!"  
"Well you didn't have to go and hit me, did you?!" The Klingon sobbed. "Is my nose bleeding?!"  
"Well of course not." Nyota said confused. "My goodness, what a fuss you're making. Well naturally when you go around picking on things weaker than you are... Why you're nothing but a big coward."  
"You're right, I am a coward." The Klingon replied. "I haven't any courage at all. Look at the circles under my eyes! I haven't slept in weeks!"  
"Well why did you not try counting sheep?" Data asked.  
"That doesn't do any good!" The Klingon insisted. "I'm afraid of them!"  
"Oh, that's too bad." Spock replied. "Don't you think the Wizard could help him too?"  
"I don't see why not." Nyota answered before turning to the green man. "Why don't you come with us? We're on our way to see the Wizard now to get him a heart."  
"And him a brain." Data added, pointing to Spock.  
"I'm sure he could give you some courage." Nyota finished.  
"But, wouldn't you be embarrassed to be seen in the company of a cowardly Klingon?" The Klingon asked. "I would."  
"Oh of course not." Nyota said. "My name's Nyota. What's yours?"  
"I am Worf." The Klingon replied as he finally calmed down. "I have not had any one offer condolences to me before as without courage, I have always lacked honor gained from facing a great battle. It is awfully nice of you to invite me along. My life has been simply unbearable."  
"Oh." Nyota said comfortingly. "Well, it's alright now. The Wizard will fix everything."  
"It's been in me so long, I simply must tell you how I feel." Worf said.  
"Well then come on!" Nyota said cheerfully as Worf began to explain as they walked.  
_It's as sad a thing to see  
When you're born to be a sissy  
Without the fim and firb.  
But I could show my prowess,  
Be a lion not a mouse  
If I only had the nerve.  
I'm afraid there's no denying  
I'm just a dandelion.  
A fate I don't deserve.  
I'd be brave as a blizzard.  
_"_I'd be gentle as a lizard._" Data added.  
"_I'd be clever as a gizzard._" Spock finished.  
"_If the Wizard is a wizard who will serve._" Nyota pointed out.  
"_Then I'm sure to get a brain._" Spock stated.  
"_A heart._" Data added.  
"_A home._" Nyota added as well.  
"_The nerve._" Worf finished before the group headed off.  
_We're off to see the Wizard,  
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!  
You'll find he is the Wiz,  
The Wiz if ever the Wiz there was!  
If ever the Wonderful Wiz there was,  
There is because, because, because, because...  
Because of the wonderful things he does!  
We're off to see the Wizard,  
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!_  
And the group headed off, with the forest feeling a lot less threatening then when Nyota and her friends went into it.

* * *

And now the gang is complete!


	8. The Poppy Field

Chapter 8: The Poppy Field

Unknown to the group, Seven of Nine had been watching them through her magical crystal ball which allowed her to see everything in Oz.  
"Aha." Seven of Nine said. "So, you would not take warnings, eh? All the worst for you. I will take care of you now instead of later."  
Seven of Nine then grabbed a bowl of some kind of steaming liquid.  
"When I gain those Ruby Slippers, my power will be the greatest in Oz." Seven of Nine said to herself as she had the smoke billow around the crystal. "Now my beauty, something with poison I think. With poison in it, but attractive to the eye and soothing to smell."  
Just then, an image of a poppy field just outside of the Emerald City appeared.  
"Poppies..." Seven of Nine mused. "Poppies. Poppies will put them to sleep. Sleep... Now they'll sleep."

At the other side of the forest, the group emerged and saw the Emerald City shining brightly like a big green star.  
"There's Emerald City!" Nyota called out excitedly. "Oh, we're almost there! At last! At last! It's beautiful, isn't it? Just like I knew it would be. He really must be a wonderful wizard to live in a city place like that."  
"Well come on then." Worf said. "What are we waiting for?"  
"Nothing." Spock pointed out. "Let's hurry!"  
"Yes, let's run!" Nyota called out, and they rushed through the fields with Data and Spock keeping their stride as the others were slowing down more and more.  
"Come on!" Spock called out. "Come on!"  
"Hurry!" Data insisted. "Hurry!"  
When they continued to slow down, they went up to them as Nyota was looking woozy.  
"What's happening?" Nyota asked. "I can't run anymore. I'm so sleepy."  
"Here," Spock said, offering his hand to Nyota. "Give us your hands, and we'll pull you along."  
"Oh no, please." Nyota insisted. "I have to rest for just a minute. Porthos? Where's Porthos?"  
Porthos was already fast asleep in the poppies.  
"Oh, you can't rest now, we're nearly there!" Spock begged as Nyota lay down in the poppies, and Data began tearing up. "Don't cry! You'll rust yourself again!"  
"Come to think of it," Worf said with a yawn. "Forty winks wouldn't be bad."  
"Don't you start it too!" Spock insisted.  
"No!" Data agreed. "We gotta try and carry Nyota."  
"I don't think I could." Spock admitted. "But I can try."  
"Let's." Data said.  
"Yes." Spock agreed as they got ready to lift Nyota up when Worf collapsed onto the ground.  
"Oh look at him!" Data called out. "This is terrible!"  
"Here Data, help me!" Spock asked as they tried to get the two to move, but nothing worked. They couldn't wake them up, and they couldn't even pull them out, as if something was holding their sleeping bodies in place. "Oh this is terrible! We can't budge them an inch! This is a spell, this is!"  
"It's the Wicked Witch!" Data said with a look of horror and realization. "What do we do?! Help! HELP!"  
"It's no good screaming at a time like this!" Spock insisted. "Nobody can hear you!"  
Spock then called out for help as well while Data continued to cry as Spock thought he could make out a flying figure in the distance with red hair and a blue outfit as snow seemed to descend down on them.  
"It's snowing!" Spock said before he shook his head, sure he was just seeing things. "No it isn't."  
Just then, snow hit him, and it really was snow.  
"YES IT IS!" Spock called out, astonished. "Maybe that'll help. Oh, but it couldn't help."  
Spock looked down as Porthos and Nyota began to stir.  
"It does help." Spock said relieved. "Nyota, you're waking up!"  
Nyota woke up, thoroughly confused as Work woke up as well.  
"Unusual weather we're having, isn't it?" Worf asked with a smile as Nyota and Spock chuckled and brushed the snow off of them as Nyota looked at Data frozen in place.  
"Oh look." Nyota sighed. "He's rusted again. Oh, get me the oil can, quick."  
"Here." Spock said as he handed the can to her.

As Nyota's friends oiled Data, Seven of Nine watched outraged in her crystal ball.  
"Curses!" The witch called out. "CURSES! Somebody always helps that girl! But shoes or no shoes, I am still powerful enough to conquer her and to all of those who try to stop me!"

After Data was restored the group prepared to head out again.  
"Let's get out of here!" Nyota said cheerfully. "Look, Emerald City is closer and prettier than ever!"  
The three then skipped along.  
_You're out of the woods!  
You're out of the dark!  
You're out of the night!  
Step into the sun!  
Step into the light!  
Keep straight ahead  
For the most beautiful place  
On the face of the Earth  
Or the sky...  
Hold onto your breath!  
Hold onto your heart!  
Hold onto your hope!  
March onto the gate  
And bid it open!_

Back at her lair, Seven of Nine decided to use her most useful tactic, fear. She grabbed her broomstick and held it out the window.  
"To the Emerald City as fast as lightning!" The witch called out as she launched off to the City.

* * *

THEY MADE IT! YES! Uh-oh. Now they've got a witch on their tail.


	9. The Merry Old Land of Oz

Chapter 9: The Merry Old Land of Oz

After a long trek and the near miss with the poppies, the gang was finally within a stone's throw of the Emerald City and walked up to the gate.  
_You're out of the dark!  
You're out of the night!  
Step into the sun!  
Step into the light!  
March onto the gate  
And bid it open!  
Open...  
_By the door there was a long rope bell, and they rang it as a man with brown hair and blue eyes came up. He was dressed in a black jacket.  
"Who rang that bell?!" The figure asked angrily.  
"We did!" The group remarked.  
"Can't you read?!" The doorman asked angrily.  
"Read what?" Spock asked.  
"The notice!" The doorman insisted.  
"What notice?" The group asked again.  
"It's on the door." The doorman said. "Plan as the nose on my-"  
He glimpsed at the door as the note wasn't there and he quickly went back in and slapped the notice onto the door.  
"'Bell out of order. Please knock.'" The group read as they then knocked on the door.  
"Well, that's more like it." The doorman said. "Now state your business."  
"We wanna see the Wizard." The group explained.  
"The Wizard?" The doorman asked alarmed. "The Wizard?! But no one can see the Great Oz! No one has ever seen the Great Oz! Even I've never seen him!"  
"Then how do you know there is one?" Nyota asked.  
"Because he's in my..." The doorman began before he stopped himself and groaned. "You're wasting my time!"  
"Oh please, please sir." Nyota pleaded. "I've got to see the Wizard. The Good Witch of the North sent me."  
"Prove it." The doorman said with a suspicious glare.  
"She's wearing the Ruby Slippers she gave her." Spock responded as the doorman looked down and saw the slippers.  
"Well so she is." The doorman responded, much friendlier. "Well bust my buttons! Why didn't you say so in the first place? That's a horse of a different color! Come on in!"  
They headed into the city and saw that everything in the city was colored green, right down to the clothes, to match the emeralds.  
"Cabby!" A man with sandy blonde in a red and black outfit called out. "Cabby! Just what you're looking for! Take you anyplace in the city, we do!"  
"If you please, we wanna see the Wizard." Nyota explained.  
"The Wizard?" The cabby asked in shock. "The Wizard?! Well I uh... Yes, of course! But first I'll take you to a place where you can tidy up a bit, eh?"  
"Oh, thank you so much!" Nyota said excitedly. "We've been gone such a long time, and we feel so messy..."  
The end of Nyota's sentence trailed away as she saw a horse that seemed to be changing color as they watched.  
"What kind of a horse is that?!" Nyota asked enthralled. "I've never seen a horse like that before!"  
"No, and never will again, I fancy." The cabby said. "There's only one of him in existence. This is the horse of a different color you've heard tell about."  
They then headed out with a good chuckle that seemed to come from the city and spread through it.  
_Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho!  
And a couple of tra-la-las!  
That's how we laugh the day away  
In the merry old Land of Oz!  
Buzz-buzz-buzz! Chirp-chirp-chirp!  
And a couple of la-di-das!  
That's how the crickets crick all day  
In the merry old Land of Oz!  
The cabby led them to a beauty parlor.  
We get up and twelve  
And start to work at one!  
Take an hour for lunch  
And then at two we're done!  
Jolly good fun!  
Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho!  
And a couple of tra-la-las!  
That's how we laugh the day away  
In the merry old Land of Oz!  
Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho!  
And a couple of tra-la-las!  
That's how we laugh the day away  
With a ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho!  
In the merry old Land of Oz!  
_At the parlor, several people were restuffing Spock for some of the straw that had fallen out during the journey and also giving him a bit extra for endurance.  
_Pat-pat here. Pat-pat there.  
And a couple of brand new straws.  
That's how we keep you young and fair  
In the merry old Land of Oz!  
_Meanwhile, Data was getting scrubbed and polished to make his metal body shine.  
_Rub-rub here. Rub-rub there.  
Whether you're tin or bronze.  
That's how we keep you in repair  
In the merry old Land of Oz.  
_Nyota meanwhile was being attended to by several spa workers who curled her hair and made her look very regal indeed.  
_We can make a dimple smile  
Out of a frown.  
_"Can you even dye my eyes to match my gown?" Nyota asked.  
"Mm-hm." The workers said.  
"Jolly old town!" Nyota called out as Worf was getting his hair tied into a ponytail to keep it out of the way.  
_Clip-Clip here. Clip-clip there.  
We give the roughest claws...  
_"_That certain air of savoir faire in the merry old Land of Oz._" Worf finished.  
"Ha-ha-ha!" Spock laughed as he saw Worf's pedicure.  
"Ho-ho-ho!" Data chuckled at Worf's manicure.  
"Ah-ha-ha-ha!" Nyota laughed at Worf's new red, gray, and black clothes.  
"Ha." Worf replied good naturedly.  
_That's how we laugh the day away  
In the merry old Land of Oz!  
That's how we laugh the day away  
With a ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho!  
In the merry old Land of Oz!  
_They continued to laugh together when in the sky they saw black smoke billowing from a distant object and very familiar laughter.  
"Who's she?" Worf asked nervously. "Who's she?"  
"The witch!" Nyota said even more nervously. "She's followed us here!"  
Just then, the Witch left leaving a billowing bit of sky-writing that read in uneven letters...  
Surrender Nyota!  
"Nyota?!" A citizen asked. "Who's Nyota?!"  
"The Wizard will explain it!" Another citizen responded.  
"The Wizard!" Yet another citizen called out as they all headed off.  
"Oh dear!" Nyota gulped. "Whatever shall we do?!"  
"Well we better hurry, if we're going to see the Wizard!" Spock said quickly and plainly.  
With that, the group rushed off.

* * *

Oh boy. Just when they think they're safe, the Witch attacks.


	10. If I Were King of the Forest

Chapter 10: If I Were King of the Forest

The gang rushed to a door the citizens of Oz were crowded at as a gray man with black hair and black armor and was clearly Cardassian based on his scales was holding them back.  
"Here!" The figure called out. "Here, here! Everything is alright! Stop that now! Everything is alright! It's alright! The Great and Powerful Oz has got matters well in hand... I hope. So you can all go home, and there's nothing to worry about. Go on home. Go home."  
As the crowd dispersed, the group walked up to the guard.  
"If you please sir," Nyota said calmly. "We wanna see the Wizard right away. All four of us."  
"Orders are nobody can see the Great Oz!" The guard barked. "Not nobody! Not no how!"  
"But please, it's very important!" Nyota pleaded.  
"And I got gussied up just for the occasion." Worf added.  
"Not nobody! Not no how!" The guard repeated.  
"But she's Nyota!" Spock blurted out, pointing at Nyota.  
"The witch's Nyota?" The guard asked before looking her up and down and noticing the Ruby Slippers. "Well, that makes a difference. Just wait here. I'll announce you at once."  
The guard then walked through the door.  
"Did you hear that?" Spock asked. "He'll announce us at once! I've as good as got my brain!"  
"I can barely hear my heart beating!" Data remarked excitedly.  
"I'll be home in time for supper!" Nyota pointed out just as excited.  
"In another hour, I'll be king of the forest!" Worf remarked. "Long live the king!"  
_If I were King of the Forest,  
Not queen, not duke, not prince.  
My regal robes of the forest,  
Would be satin, not cotton, not chintz.  
I'd command each thing, be it fish or fowl.  
With a woof and a woof and a royal growl - woof.  
As I'd click my heel, all the trees would kneel.  
And the mountains bow and the bulls kowtow.  
And the sparrow would take wing - If I - If I - were King!  
Each rabbit would show respect to me.  
The chipmunks genuflect to me.  
Though my tail would lash,  
I would show compash  
For every underling!  
If I - If I - were King!  
Just King!  
_The group then helped dress Worf up as a king as they smiled.  
_Monarch of all I survey.  
Mo-na-a-a-a-arch of all I survey!  
_"Your majesty, if you were king, you wouldn't be afraid of anybody?" Nyota asked with a smile.  
"Not nobody!" Worf remarked proudly. "Not no how!"  
"Not even a rhinoceros?" Data asked.  
"Impossiros." Worf remarked with a smirk.  
"How about a hippopotamus?" Nyota asked.  
"Why I'd trash him from top to bottomus." Worf remarked again.  
"Supposing you met an elephant?" Nyota went on.  
"I'd wrap him up and sell himphant." Worf went on.  
"What if you met a brontosaurus?" Spock went on.  
"I'd show him who's king of the forest!" Worf finished.  
"How?" The group asked at once.  
"How?!" Worf asked aghast. "Courage. What makes a king out of a slave? Courage. What makes the flag on the mast still wave? Courage. What makes the elephant charge his tusks in the misty mist or the dusty dust? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage. What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage. What makes the dawn come up like thunder?! Courage. What makes the Hottentots so hot? What puts the ape in apricot?! WHAT HAVE THEY GOT THAT I HAVEN'T GOT?!"  
"Courage." The other three said.  
"You can say that again." Worf said with a chuckle before stopping. "Wait."  
Just then, the guard burst in.  
"The wizard says go away!" The guard shouted as he returned to his post."  
"Go away?" Everyone asked, dejected.  
"Looks like we've come a long way for nothing." Spock said as he shoulders bowed in embarrassment at coming at all.  
"Oh, and I was so happy!" Nyota sobbed, thinking about Aunt Kiara and what Professor Picard had said. "I thought I was going home!"  
"Do not cry, Nyota." Data said, trying to comfort her. "We are going to get you to the Wizard."  
"We certainly are!" Spock agreed, no one knowing that the guard had begun listening to the poor girl crying.  
"Aunt Kiara was so good to me." Nyota went on, unable to control herself. "And I never appreciated her. Running away and hurting her feelings. Professor Picard said she was sick... She may be dying, and it's all my fault!"  
The guard continued to blubber as the three try to comfort Nyota.  
"Oh, I'll never forgive myself!" Nyota wept. "Never, never, never."  
"Oh, please don't cry anymore!" The guard blubbered. "I'll get you into the Wizard somehow! I had an Aunt Kiara myself, once!"  
The guard continued to blubber and cry as he let them in.

Oh... That was so sweet!


	11. The Wizard

Chapter 11: The Wizard

After the group walked through the door, they found themselves in a dark and foreboding hallway as they all went nervously down it. Even the natural light reflected from the emeralds seemed dim.  
"Wait a minute, fellows!" Worf said quickly. "I was just thinking. I really don't wanna see the Wizard this much. I better wait for you outside."  
"What's the matter?" Spock asked, nervous, himself.  
"Oh, he is just scared again." Data pointed out.  
"Don't you know the Wizard's gonna give you some courage?" Nyota pointed out, trying to remind Worf of why he came.  
"I'd be too scared to ask him for it." Worf pointed out, fretting worse and worse with every step.  
"Well then we'll ask him for you." Nyota said reassuringly.  
"I'd sooner wait outside." Worf said as he prepared to rush off when Data and Spock grabbed him.  
"Why?" Nyota asked. "Why?"  
"Because I'm still scared!" Worf admitted.  
Worf rang his ponytail as he called out.  
"What happened?" Spock asked in shock.  
"Someone pulled my hair!" Worf said as Spock pulled his ponytail out of his hands.  
"You did it yourself." Spock pointed out.  
"I..." Worf began before he looked at the hair and his empty hands. "Oh."  
"Come on." Spock advised.  
They went on and arrived at a dimly lit and enormous throne room with only a throne and flames billowing from the side.  
"Come forward!" A booming voice called out from seemingly nowhere.  
"Tell me when it's over!" Worf called out as he covered his eyes.  
The group nervously went on as smoke began billowing on the throne that turned into an enormous, ghostly head.  
"Look at that!" Worf called out in alarm. "Look at that! I WANNA GO HOME!"  
"I am Oz, the Great and Powerful!" The head called out. "Who are you?"  
No one said a word as they could only tremble at him.  
"Who are you?!" The Wizard asked again, only louder.  
"If you please, I am Nyota, the small and meek." Nyota began as she walked up. "We've come to ask-"  
"SILENCE!" The Wizard called out.  
"Oh, Jiminy Cricket!" Nyota shrieked as she rushed back to the others.  
"The Great and Powerful Oz knows why you have come." The Wizard stated. "Step forward, Data."  
Data walked up nervously with a gulp.  
"YOU DARE TO COME TO ME FOR A HEART, DO YOU?!" The Wizard called out again. "You clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous junk?!"  
Data gulped before trying to put on a brave face.  
"Y-yes sir. Yes your honor." Data said. "You see, awhile back, we were walking down the Yellow Brick Road, and-"  
"SILENCE!" The Wizard barked as Data quickly went back to the others. "And you, Spock, have the effrontery to ask for a brain, you billowing bail of bulging boarder!"  
"Y-yes your honor..." Spock began before changing what he said. "I mean your majesty! Uh... Your wizardry!"  
"Enough!" The Wizard said as Spock went back to the others.  
"And you, Worf, son of Mogh..." The Wizard began as Worf went up and just stared, nervously.  
"Well?!" The Wizard snapped, and Worf passed out as the others went to him.  
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" Nyota snapped. "Frightening him like that when he came to you for help!"  
"SILENCE WHIPPER SNAPPER!" The Wizard shouted out before calming down. "The Magnificent Oz has every intention of granting your request."  
At those words, Worf popped up.  
"What'd he say?" Worf asked in shock. "What'd he say?"  
"But first, you must prove yourselves worthy by performing a very small task." The Wizard added. "Bring me the broomstick of Seven of Nine!"  
"But if we do that, we would have to kill her to get it!" Data argued nervously.  
"Bring me her broomstick, and I'll grant your request." The Wizard insisted. "Now go."  
"But..." Worf began. "But what if she kills us first?"  
"I SAID GO!" The Wizard snapped as Worf sped off and through a window as the others went the more indirect route.

* * *

Oh... That's gonna be a toughie.


	12. The Arbazzan Vulture

Chapter 12: The Arbazzan Vulture

As they entered the west, Data, Spock, Worf, and Nyota walked up to a sign with nets, phasers, guns, and a hatchet. What made the situation worse were the crows' dark calls which unnerved all of them. Eventually, they reached a sign at the border of Seven of Nine's country.

"'I'd turn back if I were you.'" Worf said as he began to head off when Data and Spock caught him, and they continued on.

As the disturbing sounds continued, everyone became more and more on edge.

"I do believe there are spooks in here." Spock said as he clutched his bow with a loaded arrow.

"That is ridiculous." Data insisted, trying to sound brave, but still sounding nervous all the same. "Spooks. That is silly."

"Don't you believe in spooks?" Worf asked.

"No." Data insisted. "Why-"

Just then, Data was lifted up by nothing and dropped down as everyone went to him.

"Oh my goodness!" Nyota remarked.

"Are you alright?" Spock asked.

"I do believe in spooks." Worf chanted to himself, trying not to make them mad like he believed Data had. "I do believe in spooks. I do believe in spooks. I do believe in spooks."

()()()()()

From her crystal ball, Seven of Nine chuckled at the sight of the cowering Klingon.

"Ha-ha." Seven of Nine scoffed. "You will believe in even more than that before I'm done with you."

Seven of Nine then approached an army of gray people with scales along their necks and foreheads, one of her slave races, the Cardassians.

"Take your army to the Haunted Forest and bring me the girl and her dog." Seven of Nine ordered. "Do what you like with the others, but I want her alive and unharmed. They'll give you no trouble, I promise you that. I sent a little pet of mine ahead to take the fight out of them. Now fly! FLY!"

Seven of Nine cackled as the Cardassians took flight and headed for the haunted forest.

()()()()()

As the group was nervously looking around the area, they heard a low but loud call.

"_Did you just hear what I just heard?_" Nyota asked nervously.

"_That noise didn't come from an ordinary bird._" Worf pointed out.

"_It may be just a cricket or a critter in the trees._" Nyota said, trying to sound hopeful but failing as the noise came again.

"_It is given me the jitters in the joints around my knees._" Data said with a gulp.

Spock then looked up to see what looked like the creature.

"_I think I see a creature, and he's fuzzy and he's fury._" Spock pointed out. "_I haven't got a brain, but I think I oughta worry._"

"_I have not got a heart, but I've got a palpitation._" Data responded with a gulp.

"_As monarch of the forest, I don't like the situation._" Worf said as he stood his ground, surprisingly.

"_Are you gonna stand around and let him fill us full of horror?_" Nyota asked to no one in particular.

"_I'd like to roar him down._" Worf said as he gulped. "_But I think I lost my roarer._"

Just then, the creature lept down, and the four got a good look at it. It looked like a huge vulture. It roared and knocked Worf and Spock back effortlessly as it went to Nyota and roared as Data stepped in its way.

"Oh no, you do not!" Data shouted as he punched the creature in the head with such force and strength that its head went completely around, and it fell to the ground dead, and Data fell to the ground gasping as his hand was severely dented.

"It's okay." Nyota said as she gasped. "We'll fix you up back at the Emerald City."

"Precisely, the worst is over." Spock assured him when they heard marching and saw people like the Wizard's guard come up and attack them.

They basically ripped into Spock, knocking out most of his stuffing as after that they just took out whatever straw was left in everything but his head and tossed it away, so that the whole area was covered in straw.

They banged up Data even worse than the punch to the creature, and he didn't even have time to retaliate as they'd leap back after each blow.

Worf was made a mockery of as the Cardassians blended into the dreary area, allowing them to continually surprise Worf, and he ended up very bloody.

Nyota then screamed as the people grabbed Nyota and Porthos and went off with her as the others caught their breath and went to Spock.

"What happened to you?" Data asked. He couldn't see a thing through all the wings of the hawk people until they flew off.

"They took my chest out and they threw it over there." Spock said as his still stuffed hand pointed to his right before pointing the other way. "They then took my legs off and threw them over there."

"Oh, that's you all over." Data sighed as he began stuffing Spock back up.

"They sure knocked the stuffing out of you, didn't they?" Worf asked.

"Don't stand there, talking!" Spock snapped. "Put me together. We have to find Kara!"

"Now let us see…" Data said as he and Worf went to work trying to put Spock back together.

* * *

Oh boy… That took a turn for the worst.


	13. The Witch's Castle

Chapter 13: The Witch's Castle

While Nyota's friends were putting Spock back together, Nyota and Porthos had been dropped off at Seven of Nine's castle, a cold gloomy place that seemed to sap any and all hope and courage from Kara the moment she saw it.

The Cardassians deposited Nyota in front of Seven as she smirked and took Porthos, petting him softly with a look in her one eye that told Nyota she'd like nothing more to do than snap his neck.

"What a nice little dog." The witch said in a sarcastic tone as she roughly handed Porthos over to one of the Cardassians before turning to Nyota. "And you, my dear. What an unexpected pleasure. It is so kind of you to visit me in my loneliness."

"What are you going to do with my dog?" Nyota asked, trying to sound much braver than she felt as she looked into Seven of Nine's sadistically gleeful face. "Give him back to me!"

"All in good time, my little pretty." Seven of Nine said, trying to sound as kind and motherly as Beverly had been back at Munchkin Land.

"Oh, please give me back my dog!" Nyota pleaded. With her being stuck here with her friends gone, Porthos was all she had left.

"Certainly." Seven of Nine said. "Certainly. When you give me those slippers."

"But Beverly told me not to." Nyota pointed out in a matter of fact way.

"Very well." The witch said before she turned to one of the Cardassians. "THROW THAT MUTT INTO THE RIVER AND DROWN HIM!"

"No!" Nyota called out in alarm. "No! Please, you can have the Ruby Slippers. Just give me back, Porthos!"

"That is a good little girl." Seven of Nine said, resuming her faux comfort. "I knew you'd see reason."

The witch reached out for the shoes, but the moment they got an inch near them, golden sparks flashed from them and burned Seven of Nine's own hands as she called out in pain. She then backed away and rubbed her disfigured hands together, striking Nyota as odd since if her hands were burned, she'd have just run them under a sink.

"Um... Sorry." Nyota said, uncertain of what exactly just happened. "I didn't do it. Do I still get my dog back?"

"NO!" Seven of Nine barked, all pretense forgotten. "I can not believe I was so foolish. I should have remembered who those shoes used to belong to. The Borg Queen would never have let her most important magical items be taken right under her nose."

"W-what are you saying?" Nyota asked, beginning to get nervous for herself now.

"Those slippers will never come off as long as their wearer is alive." Seven of Nine said darkly. "But that's not what's worrying me. It's how to do it. These things must be done delicately, or you hurt the enchanted object."

As the witch was talking, Porthos bit the hand of the Cardassian holding him as he scampered off.

"RUN PORTHOS!" Nyota called out as hard as she could. "RUN!"

"Catch him, you fools!" The witch barked back as the Cardassian gave pursuit.

In response, several of the witch's other slaves, the Romulans, drew up the bridge at the entrance. However, Porthos was a brave and smart dog, making a run at the bridge and managing to jump onto the other side just before the door would've been too far closed. He then hid under the bushes where the Cardassians couldn't hope to see him. Nyota happily watched all this from the balcony.

"He got away." Nyota said, half exhausted with relief. "He got away."

"Which is more than you will!" Seven of Nine snapped as she roughly grabbed Nyota's arm and pulled her to a small den. "Blast you and your dog. You have been more trouble to me than your worth, one way or the other, but it will soon be over."

Seven of Nine then went to the corner and held up an hour glass with glowing red sand in it.

"Do you see that?!" Seven of Nine called out. "That is how long you've got to live, and it is not long, my little pretty. It is not long at all. I can not wait forever to get those shoes."

Seven of Nine placed the hourglass up as sand began pouring into the other end as she left, locking the door behind her, and Nyota already began to feel slightly queasy, meaning that Seven of Nine was talking quite literally about her life ending when the sand ran out.

Nyota then walked around the den. She was going to die all alone, and she'd never get to apologize to Aunt Kiara for running away after everything she'd done for Nyota. She couldn't bear it. She could've kicked herself for all that wishing to go over the rainbow. Well she was certainly over it, and look where it got her.

Some day I wake and rub my eyes,

And in that land beyond the skies,

You'll find me...

Nyota then began crying as she thought about all the people back home she'd never see again. If she'd never run away, she'd be safe with Aunt Kiara and Uncle Raheem right now, helping everyone rebuild the farm house. Now, she couldn't do anything but sit and think about how she was going to die soon.

Some... Where... Over the rainbow...

Blue birds... Fly...

Birds fly... Over the rainbow...

Why? … Oh, why can't I?

Then, half desperate for this nightmare of an end to be a dream, she called out to the room.

"I'm frightened. I'm frightened, Aunt Kiara! I'm frightened!" Nyota sobbed.

"Nyota!" Aunt Kiara's voice said as Nyota looked at a large crystal ball in the room and saw Aunt Kiara in there, looking frantically around the ruined farmyard with the others. "Kara, it's me, Aunt Kiara! We're trying to find you! Where are you?!"

"I'm here in Oz, Aunt Kiara!" Nyota said with the faintest glow of hope beginning to grow. Maybe if she can get Aunt Kiara to hear her, somehow, she and the others could come and help not just her, but Porthos, Spock, Data, and Worf. "I'm locked up in a witch's castle, and I'm trying to get home to you, Aunt Kiara!"

Then, all too soon, the crystal ball turned black, leaving Nyota in more distress.

"Oh no!" Nyota said, feeling even worse than before. "Don't go away! Don't go away. Aunt Kiara, come back!"

Just then, Seven of Nine appeared in the crystal ball with a sneer on her face.

"'Aunt Kiara!'" Seven of Nine said in a mocking tone. "'Aunt Kiara come back! Come back!' I'll give you, Aunt Kiara my pretty!"

Seven of Nine then laughed cruelly as Nyota sat down in corner with only the faintest hope left. The hope that the others were better off than she was and able to find her.

()()()()()

Just as Data and Worf had put Spock back together, they heard barking as Data looked down the path to see a familiar beagle.

"Look." Data said in mild surprise. "It is Porthos. Where did he come from?"

Spock's eyes then widened.

"Why don't you see?" Spock asked. "He's come to take us to Nyota!"

Spock then hobbled forward as he rushed off as Porthos led them on.

"Come on, everyone!" Spock called out as Data and Worf followed as well.

* * *

Again, sorry the update took so long, but only a few more chapters left.


	14. Rescue Mission

Chapter 14: Rescue Mission

Spock, Data, and Worf followed Porthos to an enormous gloomy mountain as the small puppy began climbing up. Knowing that Porthos was still taking them to Nyota, Spock climbed after him. He was followed by Worf and Data. Being made of tin, Data held onto Worf's bandolier to ensure that he wouldn't fall, otherwise, he might've gotten damaged beyond repair.

About halfway up the mountain, Worf took a break to breath as they both looked down.

"I…" Worf stuttered nervously. "I hope my strength holds out."

"I hope your _bandolier_ holds out!" Data called out, for once being more afraid than Worf.

Eventually, in a valley at the top of the mountain, like a cavity in a tooth, stood the witch's dark, foreboding castle.

"What's that?" Worf gasped, half out of exhaustion, half out of terror. "What's that?!"

"That's the castle of Seven of Nine." Spock surmised. "Kara's in that awful place?"

"Oh, I would hate to think of her in there." Data said as he began to tear up. "We have got to get her out."

"Don't cry now!" Spock said in a sharp whisper. "We haven't got the oil can with us, and you've been squeaking enough as it is."

"Who are they?" Worf asked as he pointed at the marching guards. "Who are they?"

The witch's Borg guards were marching around repeating a chant of "O-ri-o! Ri-o-oh!"

"I've got a plan how to get in there." Spock said to his two friends.

"He's got a plan!" Worf called out in relief.

"And you're gonna lead us." Spock added.

"Indeed." Worf said smugly before he realized what that meant. "Me?!"

"Yes you." Spock answered.

"I…" Worf said with a gulp as he pointed at the castle. "I gotta get her out of there?"

"That's right." Spock gently insisted.

Worf swallowed and thought of Nyota, the poor little girl who just wanted to get home.

"Alright." Worf answered. "I'll go in there for Nyota. Seven of Nine or no Seven of Nine! Guards or no guards, I'll tear them place apart! I may not come out alive, but I'm going in there! There's just one thing I want you fellows to do?"

"What's that?" The other two asked.

"Talk me out of it." Worf gulped, but instead, the two encouraged Worf to keep forward as they arrived just outside the area of the castle when Porthos began barking. As Spock tried to calm him down, Worf looked behind them and saw three guards standing right behind them. Worf immediately tried to warn them as well when the guards jumped. However, the three quickly overwhelmed the guards and stole their uniforms, which fit nicely over their regular attire and snuck in without incident.

"Come on." Spock said as he set Porthos down. "I've got another idea."

"Do you think it'll be alright, dropping in like this?" Worf asked, half-jokingly.

The trio then followed Porthos around the courtyard as the drawbridge was brought up with the three keeping an eye on him, however, Porthos seemed to be having trouble picking up Nyota's scent.

"Where do we go now?" Data asked.

Just then, Porthos began barking and rushed up the stairs.

"There!" Spock said as he, Worf, and Data rushed after him to a pair of doors as Data grabbed his axe before Spock held his hand out. "Wait. Let's make sure. Nyota, are you in there? It's us!"

()()()()()

As Nyota was whimpering in the corner, her eyes unable to look away from the hourglass, she heard Spock's voice as that small, almost insubstantial hope burst through her whole body as she rushed to the front door.

"Yes!" Nyota called out. "It's me! She's locked me in!"

"Then we've got to get her out." Nyota heard Worf say as the door rattled as Nyota's eyes unwillingly went to the hourglass as it looked like she only had three minutes left.

"Oh, hurry! Please hurry!" Nyota begged. "The hourglass is almost empty!"

"Data!" Spock called out as Nyota heard a thump at the door. She backed up as Data hacked the door to pieces with his axe at an amazing speed.

With the door broken open, Nyota rushed out and hugged her friends as they were finally reunited.

"Oh, guys!" Nyota said as she saw Porthos panting. "Porthos!"

As Nyota frantically mumbled her thanks, Spock went to her.

"Hurry!" Spock said. "We don't have any time to lose!"

They rushed for the main entrance only to be blocked by the guards.

From an upper area of the castle, Seven of Nine laughed evilly as they all looked up.

"Going so soon?" Seven of Nine asked. "I would not hear of it. Why my little party is just beginning."

"Trapped." Worf said in frustration. "Trapped like mice! … I mean, rats!"

Borg poured in from where they'd come from and held them at spear point but didn't continue to advance.

"That is right." Seven of Nine remarked sadistically. "Do not hurt them right away. We will let them think about it a little first."

As the group was shivering, Spock looked at a rope as Nyota saw his eyes follow it up to a circular chandelier while Seven of Nine was laughing.

Just then, Seven of Nine tossed down the empty hourglass as it exploded in a ball of fire that filled up the space between the group and the guards with red smoke. Using the distraction, Spock grabbed Data's axe and cut through it, causing the guards to be trapped in the chandelier and ran passed them, looking for a back way out while Seven of Nine continually screamed "SEIZE THEM!"

They quickly rushed through the maze-like castle only to run into what looked like half of the guards and then ran into the other until they were essential corralled like the pigs at the farm into what seemed to be Seven of Nine's den as the door slammed shut and the guards held them all at spear point while Seven of Nine walked up to them.

"Well, ring around the rosie, a pocket full of spears." Seven of Nine said in a disturbingly casual way. "Thought you four could out fox me, did you not? Well, the last to go will see the first three go before her."

The witch then looked at a lamp and held her broom to it as it got fire, and she held it to Spock.

"How about a little fire, Spock?" Seven of Nine asked as she brought the broom close enough for Spock's arm to catch fire as Nyota instinctively grabbed a bucket to put it out as after she put out Spock's arm, the water also splashed onto Seven of Nine's face as she screamed like she was being murdered.

"YOU CURSED BRAT!" Seven of Nine screamed. "Look what you have done! I am melting! MELTING!"

Nyota couldn't believe her eyes. Seven of Nine was right. She really was melting.

"Oh what a world." Seven of nine moaned in self-pity. "What a world. Who would've thought a little girl like you would've destroyed my beautiful wickedness."

She then wailed her last wail as eventually, all that remained of her aside from some steam was mechanical components as the Cardassian looked down and happily sighed.

"She…" One of the Borg said in shock. "She's dead. You killed her."

"I didn't mean to do it." Nyota said, which was true enough. "Really. It's just that he was on fire, and-"

"Hail to Nyota!" The Borg called out. "Seven of Nine is dead!"

"HAIL TO KARA!" The other Borg and Cardassians called out. "SEVEN OF NINE IS DEAD!"

Nyota sighed with relief. The Borg and Cardassians were just slaves like the Vulcans. Then an idea popped into her head.

"The broom, may we have it?" Nyota asked.

"Please!" The guard said happily. "You're welcomed to the thing!"

"Oh, thank you so much!" Nyota called out. "Now we can go back to the Wizard and tell him Seven of Nine is dead!"

_Hail, Hail, the witch is dead!_

_Which old witch? The Wicked Witch._

_Hail, hail the Wicked Witch is dead!_

The Borg and Cardassians saw them off as they sang the song of rejoicing the Vulcans had when Nyota's house landed on the Borg Queen.

_Hail, Hail, the witch is dead!_

_Which old witch? The Wicked Witch._

_Hail, hail the Wicked Witch is dead!_

_She's gone where the goblins go below!_

_Wake up blow on your horns!_

_Let's all come out and sing!_

_And ring the bells out!_

_Ding-dong!_

_The merry-o!_

_Sing it high!_

_Sing it low!_

_Let them know,_

_The Wicked Witch is dead!_

The quartet returned to the Emerald City and spread the word as the entire city cheered eagerly, and things were as joyful as when they'd first arrived.

_Ding-dong!_

_The Witch is dead!_

_Which old witch?_

_The Wicked witch!_

_Ding-Dong!_

_The Wicked Witch is dead!_

_Ha-ha-ha!_

_Ho-ho-ho!_

_And a couple of tra-la-las!_

_Ha-ha-ha!_

_Ho-ho-ho!_

_In the merry old Land of Oz!_

_She's gone where the goblins go below!_

_Wake up blow on your horns!_

_Let's all come out and sing!_

_And ring the bells out!_

The Wizard's guard then bowed them through to his chambers after he'd delivered the news of Seven of Nine's death to him.

_You're off to see the Wizard!_

_The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!_

_Let him know the Wicked Witch is dead!_

_Hail, the Wicked Old Witch is dead . . ._

* * *

For those who don't know, this song was cut from the original film. I brought it in just for fun. Next chapter, you find out who the Wizard is in this version if you haven't already guessed.


End file.
